Postdoctoral mentorship
Hector Ortiz, PhD. April 2022 – July 2023. Species distribution modeling of Juniperus virginiana in relation to co-occurring species across native range and expanding range.
Randy Long, PhD. March 2020 – August 2021. Combined drought and cold acclimation effects on Juniperus virginiana and other conifer species from different climate zones.
Graduate student mentorship
Miranda Shetzer. Fall 2022 – Present. Primary advisor: Case Western Reserve University. Photosynthetic physiology of Rhododendron.
Samuel Harbol. 2021 – 2022. Project mentor: Holden Arboretum Norweb Fellow. Non-structural carbohydrates in cold acclimation of Juniperus virginiana.
Ricky Kong. Fall 2020. Dissertation defense committee member. University of Western Ontario.
Yu “Grant” Liu.2019 – 2023. Comprehensive exam committee member and Dissertation committee member. Case Western Reserve University.
Andy Lance. 2018 –2020. Dissertation committee member. Case Western Reserve University. Soil microbiota and ecological restoration: connections and implications for practice.
Anna Osvaldsson. 2018 –2019. Dissertation committee member. Case Western Reserve University.
Yu “Grant” Liu. Fall 2018. CWRU independent study course reader: Biology 599, The role of seasonal changes of photochemistry in plant energy dissipation given light differences and CO2 elevation.
Sharon Danielson. 2017 – 2023. Primary advisor: Case Western Reserve University. Seeing the urban forest for its trees: an examination of Cleveland, Ohio’s forests from community composition to individual tree physiology.
Samia Hamati. 2017 –2022. Primary co-advisor with Dr. David Ward, Kent State University. Frost physiology of Juniperus virginiana, a grassland invasive, at the northern limits of the species distribution.
Yu “Grant” Liu. Spring 2017. CWRU independent study course reader: Biology 599, Estimating a phylogeny of 24 Rhododendron species from both nuclear DNA regions RPB2I, ITS and chloroplast DNA regions matK, trnL-trnF.
Sharon Danielson. 2015 – 2017. Project mentor Holden Arboretum Norweb Fellow: Leaf hydraulic conductance in deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen Rhododendrons. Holden Arboretum Norweb Fellowship Intern Program.
Jennifer Murphy. Fall 2014. CWRU independent study course reader: Biology 599, The effect of negative and positive intraspecific interactions on the performance of the highly invasive shrub, Rosa multiflora across a soil moisture gradient.
Undergraduate Mentorship
Luke Humphreys. June 2024-Present. Leaf anatomical variation in relation to spectral reflectance. Collaboration with Dr. Kevin Mueller, Cleveland State University.
Emma Farley. Summer 2024. Project mentor: Growth and biomass of Rhododendron minus with different light availability. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Lindsey Urban. Summer 2023. Project mentor: Anatomy and physiology of Southern Azaleas. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Sabeel Haddad. Summer 2022. Project mentor: Species distribution modeling for Eastern Red Cedar. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Miranda Shetzer. Summer 2021. Project mentor: Effects of drought on urban and rural tree seedlings. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Madeline Bednar. Summer 2021. Project mentor: Conifer traits across botanical gardens located in different climates.Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Chiara Baker. Summer 2020. Project mentor: Interactive effects of drought and frost on red cedar from different climates. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Keara Weiss. Summer 2020. Project mentor: Plant functional traits in urban and rural tree communities. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Raphaella Mascia. Summer 2019 & 2020. Project mentor: Plant functional traits in urban and rural tree communities. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Madison Metzger. Summer 2019. Project mentor: Plant functional traits in urban and rural tree communities. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Fiona Duong. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Leaf anatomical variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Bryce O’Brien. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Photoprotective pigment response to cold acclimation across populations of Rhododendron minus. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Madison Proctor. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Effects of Inkharo rootstock on the performance and morphology of Rhododendron cultivars. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Aaron Baumgardner. Summer 2016. Project mentor: Leaf venation patterns of deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen Rhododendron species from different climates. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Michael Mann. Summer 2016. Project mentor: The leaf and root microbiome of Rhododendron species differing in Phytophthora root rot resistance. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Conor Heffer. Summer 2016. Project mentor: Leaf anatomical variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Undergraduate Intern Program.
Louisa Rogers. Summer 2015. Project mentor: Root morphological variation in genus Rhododendron. Kent State/Holden Arboretum Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
Rahne McIntire. Summer 2015. Project mentor: Photosynthesis in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Summer Internship.
Jaynell Nicholson. Summer 2014. Project mentor: Root morphological variation in genus Rhododendron. Kent State/Holden Arboretum Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
Callie Dowrey. Summer 2014 & 2015. Project mentor: Physiological evolution in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Summer Internship.
Katiuska Hernandez. Summer 2013. Project mentor: Physiological evolution in genus Rhododendron. Kent State/Holden Arboretum Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).
Dan Volk. Summer 2013. Project mentor: Ecological impacts of acid rain in NE temperate forests. Holden Arboretum Summer Internship.
Kayla Sale. 2011 – 2013. Project mentor: Modeling changes in plants gas exchange in response to changing [CO2] and water availability since the last ice age. University of Kansas (KU) Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD).
Zulondo Curley. Summer 2011. Project mentor: Plant responses to the interactive effects of low [CO2] and water availability during the last ice age using ancient plant material from pack rat middens. Haskell Indian Nations University BRIDGE.
Charley Lewis. 2011 – 2013. Project mentor: Plant responses to the interactive effects of low [CO2] and water availability during the last ice age using ancient plant material from pack rat middens. Haskell Indian Nations University BRIDGE and KU Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP).
Susannah Tysor. Summer 2009. Meeting mentor: Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting in Albuquerque New Mexico. ESA Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability (SEEDS)
Ashlee Begaye. 2009. Project mentor: Quantification of plant photo-protective pigments in high and low latitude populations of the genus Larrea from North and South America. UNM PREP.
Andrea Westerband. Summer 2009. Project mentor: The Physical and Chemical properties of soils under Piñon, Juniper and grass on the North and South-facing slopes of Los Piños Mountains. Sevilleta LTER REU.
Giomara La Quay. Summer 2009. Project mentor: The Physical and Chemical properties of soils under Piñon, Juniper and grass on the North and South-facing slopes of Los Piños Mountains. Sevilleta LTER REU.
Julie Glaser. 2008 – 2009. Undergraduate Senior Honors Thesis mentor: Quantification of plant photo-protective pigments in high and low latitude populations of the genus Larrea from North and South America. UNM Department of Biology.
K12 Mentorship
Helena Duffy. Summer 2024. Project mentor: Effects of light on anthocyaninsn Holden Forests & Gardens Green Corp Program.
Jade Freed. Summer 2023. Project mentor: Huber value of SE Rhododendron species. Holden Forests & Gardens Green Corp Program.
Nate Lowe. Summer 2023. Project mentor: Microcontrollers for phenotyping and outreach. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Cariana Tootle. Summer 2022. Project mentor: Plant physiology conceptual diagram. Holden Forests & Gardens Green Corp Program.
Hope Ptacek. Summer 2021. Project mentor: Conifer traits across botanical gardens located in different climates. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Hawken School Internship Program.
Sara Ramaiah. Fall 2019.Project mentor: Leaf venation of Rhododendron hybrids and species. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Ava Fabian. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Effects of Inkharo rootstock on the performance and morphology of Rhododendron cultivars. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Magnificat High School Senior Internship Program.
John Love. Summer 2018. Project mentor: Rhododendron propagation and physiology. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Elspeth Weiss. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Effects of Inkharo rootstock on the performance and morphology of Rhododendron cultivars. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Hawken School Senior Internship Program.
Sean Mullee. Summer 2015 – Spring 2016. Project mentor: Associations between flower color and cold hardiness in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Amanda Leuty. May 2014. Project mentor: Ecological impacts of acid rain in NE temperate forests. Holden Arboretum Junior Volunteer, Mentor High School Senior Internship Program.
Holden ADult Volunteer Supervision
Anastasiya Karaivanova. July 2019. Project mentor: Leaf venation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Sarah Speroff. January – August 2017. Project mentor: Leaf anatomical variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
McKenzie Brizes. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Flower carbon economics. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Donna Kautz. Summer 2017. Project mentor: Flower carbon economics. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Susanne Earle. Fall 2016 – 2019. Project mentor: Holden Research Archive. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
JB Dunn. Fall 2017. Project mentor: Big data proof of concept website. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Kate DeFranco. Summer 2015 – 2016. Project mentor: Leaf morphological variation in genus Rhododendron. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Ron Mauk. September 2013 – Present. Project mentor: Eighty years of plant growth and survival in relation to climate at the Holden Arboretum. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Sandra Cobb. July 2013 – Present. Project mentor: Eighty years of plant growth and survival in relation to climate at the Holden Arboretum and Holden Arboretum Historic Archive. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.
Laurie Kalan. 2013. Project mentor: Eighty years of plant growth and survival in relation to climate at the Holden Arboretum. Holden Arboretum Volunteer Program.